stable-man

A stable-man brushes a horse in the barn.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who works in a stable: "stable-man" refers to a man employed to take care of horses and maintain the stable where they are housed.
   • A groom or attendant: In a broader sense, it denotes a person responsible for feeding, grooming, and managing horses in a stable environment.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The stable-man arrived early each morning to muck out the stalls and feed the horses. (The man who cares for horses in a stable.)
  • As a young boy, he worked as a stable-man for a wealthy landowner. (He was employed to look after the horses and the stable.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a stable-man for life": to hold the occupation of caring for horses permanently.
  • He had been a stable-man for over thirty years, never seeking any other work. (He remained in this horse-care role for decades.)

Variants and Related Words

• Stable (n): a building where horses are kept.
  • The horses were led into the stable for the night. (The building for housing horses.)
• Stableboy (n): a young male worker in a stable (synonymous with "stable-man" but often implies a younger person).
  • The stableboy brushed the horse's mane carefully. (A young male stable worker.)
• Stablehand (n): a general worker in a stable (can be male or female).
  • The stablehand helped load the hay into the loft. (A worker in a stable.)

Synonyms

• Groom: a person who cares for horses, including brushing and feeding them.
• Horsekeeper: a person who tends to horses and their living quarters.
• Ostler: (archaic) a person who cares for horses at an inn or stable.

Related Idioms

• "To smell of the stable-man": an informal expression meaning to be associated with lowly or manual work (rarely used).
  • His rough hands smelled of the stable-man after a long day. (His hands bore the odour of horse care, suggesting hard labour.)